Lean-To
/ˈliːn tuː/noun
A simple shelter or shed with a roof that slopes against a wall or other support.
Did you know?The name is transparently descriptive: it comes from the phrase “lean to,” referring to a roof or shelter that slopes and leans against another structure.
Etymological Timeline
Old English
OE
hlēonian
“to lean, recline”
Middle English
ME
lenen
“to lean, incline”
17th Century
English
lean to
“a structure built to lean against something else”
18th Century
English
lean-to
“a shed or shelter with a single sloping roof”
Modern English
English
lean-to
“a small shelter or outbuilding attached to another structure”